Dendrobium victoria-reginae HELP PLEASE

[Orchid killer]

My Den victoria reginae is NOT happy, can anyone out there give me a little advice on growing conditions.
The enviromnent where I live is a little hot and dry, would it be better to mount or pot? If I pot, can someone recommend medium type? Do I need to keep medium wet at all times?

What I have read is they require cool wet conditions.
Has anyone had any success growing them warmer?
Do they require rest period like nobile?
Thanks in advance.
Orchid killer!!!!!

[katrina]

I grew it...until it got too big and rambling for my space and then I gave it away.

I grew it in a plastic vanda basket and hung sideways...in chc and sphag (I think). That set up enabled me to keep it moist enough but to allow it to hang freely.

I grew it in bright, indirect light and lots of water. In the summer I would water it just about every day and in the winter I would allow it to dry out a little bit between waterings but I didn't allow it to stay dry for too long...maybe a couple of days, at most. I grew it in intermediate temps...lowest night time temp was upper 50's F and the highest temp would be our summer highs which can sometimes (not often though) push near 100 F. Mostly though...intermediate temps.

IME, it does best w/"pure" (rain or r/o) water. I used tap water but the person I gave it to uses only rain water and it looks much lusher and healthier under her care than it ever did under mine. It grew and bloomed well for me but it looks much better under her care.

I've heard it can grow pretty cool but it doesn't need it to be cool to be OK. The pure water thing though...it will do/look better w/rain or r/o water.

Hope that helps.

[Orchid killer]

Thank you Katrina, I will bear this all in mind. I agree with your point on water purity. But my dry environment here in Africa is going to be a challenge.
Anyway, many thanks.

[Brooke]

If you use a moisture retentive media and keep it moist, dry air should not be that big of a problem.

I grow mine in shredded redwood which holds moisture but lets air to the roots. This mix lets me water it every other day, in the winter a little less but never dry. My temps are never below 60 and can get as high as 85 in Catt light.

Here is mine in Nov 13 and it is still blooming now. I find it blooms almost all year but get the big bloom in fall.

Den victoriae-reginae JCL_2003 by kentucky4, on Flickr

Can you describe or show why you think yours isn't happy?

Brooke

[katrina]

Excellent specimen, Brooke!!

Brooke is right...humidity in the environment shouldn't be a problem During the Winter my house can get quite dry and it never seemed to bother that plant at all. Providing enough moisture at the roots is far more important.

[Brooke]

Thanks! This was a gift from a very good friend. I also have a Mingle's Sapphire which is out of the vic-reg and they thought this would make a nice addition to keep the Sapphire company.

Brooke

[Orchid killer]

Thank you Katrina & Brooke, I'm going to take your advice and grow in bark / sphag medium and water daily. I was of the option that because victoria-reginae was native to the cloud forest of the Philippines, humidity would be a major factor. I live in Africa and it can get very dry here and was thinking this maybe the problem. I do agree with your idea of clean water though.
Thank you for share, I will keep you updated on progress.
Regards
Owen

[katrina]

Mingle's is another awesome one, Brooke! My Mingle's it a good size and like it's parent...it's in bloom more than out of bloom. Now you just need ceraula...the other parent of Mingle's. D ceraula comes in colors from light pink to Mingle's color. My first one bloomed out a light pink-ish color...which I wasn't happy about. I got rid of that one. It took me a couple/few years to find a "blue" one...so now I have the color I wanted. [pssst -- I got my "blue" one from Andy's a little more than a year ago and I'm pretty sure he still has them.]

Owen -- I think you'll do just fine w/vic-reg. It's a relatively easy orchid...it's not fussy about much of anything other than that situation I noticed regarding the water quality. Just be sure you make space for it because it will get big and beautiful. Once it gets some size on it...you'll find it's in bloom more than out of bloom. Like Brooke said....it's a flower power-house.

[Brooke]

Good luck Owen I'm sure you can keep her happy. She will quickly become your favorite.

Brooke